Creating volume at your roots :-)

After watching Hair on BBC Three and seeing the backcombing to create a beehives, it got us thinking who doesn't like a little lift and body at the roots? We all do right?

One of the best ways to add volume to your hair is to gently tease your hair by backcombing. A little backcombing can go a long way toward a voluminous style that lasts. To have the best teased style you'll need the right tools, products, and techniques. Here's what you will need!

Products


The right products are crucial to achieve a long-lasting style. If your hair is resistant to teasing, try blow drying a salt spray in your hair  for some grip, texture, and hold. Dry shampoo is also a great volumizer because it gives texture, ensuring both a better tease and hold.

Tools


When it comes to tools, the requirements are simple: A  back-combing brush or a rat-tail comb is all that's needed. A backcombing brush we prefer personally. 

Technique


1. Take 1- to 2-inch sections from the top of your head. Hold the hair away from the scalp and spray a dry shampoo at the roots.


2. Use a back-combing brush and push the comb down into the roots, starting at the mid-shaft of the hair. Release comb and repeat.


3. Comb over the teased sections to smooth the top layer.


4. If you've flattened any pieces out, take the end of your comb and place it in the area its flattened, then pull up to allow your locks to get full again.


5. Once your hair is in place and smooth, set the style with a medium hold spray.

Big, sexy hair can be yours!

Why use a clarifying shampoo?

Clarifying shampoos for some reason tend to have a bit of a bad reputation for their tendency to dry out the hair. If used correctly this should never be the case as it’s job is to lift stubborn styling and finishing products from the hair. It is important to use it at the right time. Most people will benefit from using a clarifying shampoo occasionally. They are formulated with a high surfactant-to-water ratio to deep cleanse the hair. They are designed to lift stubborn residue, products and dirt just like when you deep cleanse or use a scrub on your face! Also as the focus is on cleaning, they often contain very few emollients and conditioning oils to balance them out so are often clear in colour.

So when is the right time to use a clarifying shampoo? 

Here are five steps to look out for!

1. Your hair is really oily.

If your hair is naturally oily, then clarifying will be useful to you. It will keep your hair fresh, clean and oil-free and won’t leave you feeling weighed down. Because clarifying shampoos can be drying, always follow them with a light conditioner to soften the hair.

2. You have been using lots of oils, heavy conditioners and finishing products.

Products that are not water-soluble, like heavy oils and silicone-based ingredients that are found in everyday conditioners, moisturizers, mousses, gels, serums and hairsprays, can build up on the hair and cause it to feel limp, icky and lifeless. A regular moisturizing shampoo won’t be able to lift these stubborn ingredients. You’ll need to use a clarifying shampoo to remedy this build-up.

3. You have been swimming.

Chlorine and salt residue from swimming in pools or hanging out at the beach can really damage your hair if they are not removed promptly. Combine them with sun, and the damage is multiplied. A clarifying shampoo will help you get your hair back to normal after chlorine exposure and will prevent unnecessary damage to the hair.

4. None of your products are working.

When silicone and oils from your hair products build up on your hair, they may cause your favourite shampoos, conditioners and other products to “stop working.” Your shampoo might not lather properly, and your hair might feel weighed down after deep conditioning. The problem is simply product build-up. Whenever products you know are good just stop working, don’t toss them out. Clarify your hair to remove the build-up.

5. It’s been a month since you have last used a clarifying shampoo.

Clarifying your hair can be done as a monthly refresher as it will give your hair a fresh clean slate. If you feel your hair beginning to get a coated, weighed down feeling clarifying at least once a month can remedy this. If you use oily or sticky products like serums, regular oils, gels and heavy pomades frequently throughout the week, then you may find that clarifying weekly is a better option. If your hair is naturally oily, then daily clarifying can be beneficial.

RECOMMENDATION -

L'anza's Daily Clarifying shampoo, gentle enough for every day use, whilst protecting colour.

Spring is in the air TREAT YOUR HAIR RIGHT

Spring days are finally here! 

Spring is in the air and as the season changes from a rather wet and damp cold winter to a warmer, lighter sunnier days our hair changes with the climate naturally and with what we do to it!

As the days get lighter, highlighting becomes one of the most popular services as people want to achieve a sun kissed look, or be blonde for the summer days. Hair can go from being dry and full of static to frizzy, sun bleached and over processed if not looked after properly. Preparing your hair for the seasons change will help you have better hair all year!

Moisture Balance

One of the hardest things to conquer with hair is proper moisture. Just when you get your hair all moisturized to combat the dry season, it gets wet and humid, and then the sun comes out and wreaks havok on your locks.

As the weather starts to warm up and the humidity in the air increases it is time to change your hair conditioning habits. This does not mean, do not condition your hair, but adjustments will be needed.

The rule of thumb with moisture is to listen to your hair. If you notice static, dry ends, a lot of tangles, or if your hair feels rough to the touch and takes forever to dry you are lacking moisture and need to add a deep conditioning treatment or a moisturizing conditioner to your hair routine. If your hair is limp or oily start cutting back on the moisture.

Healthy Highlights


Balancing moisture can be a whole other issue if you highlight your hair in the summer. Frizzy and dry ends on highlighted hair can be more pronounced in the summer, especially if you lighten your hair more, spend time in the sun, or spend a lot of time in the water. Protein treatments or protein enhanced shampoos and conditioners can help restore your highlighted hair's strength. Balance the strength with a good conditioning treatment or even a leave-in conditioner on highlighted hair.

Manage the Sun's Effects


Just as the sun causes your skin to age, it also will effect your hair. You may notice that your hair lightens in the summer. While the sun's natural lightening doesn't cause significant damage to your hair, over exposure to the sun's rays can cause dryness and unwanted lightening to colored and highlighted hair. To keep the sun's effects at a minimum, try using products and shampoos that have UV protection and heat protectors.

Chlorine

If you spend a lot of time in the pool, it won't take long before you realize that the chlorine build up can be a real issue. Chlorine can dry your hair, cause your ends to appear more damaged, and build up on your hair. The build up feels unpleasant and makes hair dull and hard to style.

To prevent chlorine from causing problems, the first step is to wash your hair thoroughly immediately upon exiting the pool every time with a clarifying shampoo and follow with a balancing conditioner.

Although shampooing often and getting into a regular clarifying routine is a great start to combating the effects of chlorine most of our clients say that it doesn't completely get rid of the chlorine build up in your hair. Therefore we recommend a in salon hair treatment. We recommend that clients with chlorine issues come in for a treatment every 6-10 weeks.